Apparatus for heat treating articles



K. c. EDWARDS Aprll 8, 1941.

' APPARATUS FOR HEAT TREATING ARTICLES Filed May 3, 1939 ZSlueets -Sheep l Aprfl 8, 1941 K. c. EDWARDS APPARATUS FOR HEAT TREATING ARTICLES Filed May 3, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lA/VEA/TGR KCf'DWARDs i WM Arron/var Patented Apr. 8, 1941 APPARATUS FOR HEAT TREATING ARTICLES Karl 0. Edwards, Chase, Md., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 3, 1939, Serial No. 271,473

7 Claims. (01. 263-8) This invention relates to apparatus for heat treating articles, and more particularly to apparatus for annealing spooled copper wire.

Objects of the invention are to provide a simple, inexpensive and emcient charging mechanism for heat treating apparatus of the type above referred to.

pit I is provided, which has a tunnel or loading trench l6 communicating therewith. The pit and trench are maintained filled with water to the level indicated by the broken lines ll in Figs. 1 and 2, and the open lower ends of the heating and cooling chambers have skirt portions l8 and One embodiment of the invention contemplates the provision of mechanism for automatically charging spools of copper wire into an annealing apparatus having a' vertical heating chamber through which the spools are carried upwardly by a continuously movingconveyor provided with a plurality of equi-distantly spaced carriers adapted to automatically receive the spools from a loading platform disposed in a water-filled pit below th heating chamber. An inclined waterfilled loading trench is provided from which the spools are permitted to roll, one at a time, onto the loading platform by means of an escapement mechanism actuated by means under the control of the conveyor. A manually controlled elevator is provided for lowering the spools into the loading trench and means is provided for visually indicating whether the trench is filled with spools.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly broken away, of a copper wire annealing apparatus equipped with a charging mechanism embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the charging mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plansection on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. i is an enlarged fragmentary view looking in the direction of the arrows on line 4-4 of Fig l, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the hydraulic operating cylinders and control valves for the escapement I9, respectively, which project downwardly .into the pit and well below the water level, thus sealing the lower ends of the two chambers against ingress of air.

The bottom of the loading trench slopes downwardly toward the end thereof which adjoins the loading pit iii, and at the opposite end of the trench an elevator 2| is provided for lowering the spools 22, containing copper wire to be annealed, into the trench. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the elevator is operated by a hydraulic cylinder 24 under the control, of a manually operated valve 25, but any other suitable means may be provided for operating and/or controlling the operation of the elevator. As shown in Fig. l, the elevator has an inclined floor 21 which is parallel to the bottom of the loading trench. When the elevator is in its uppermost position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, it is in position to receive a spool 22, which is simply rolled onto the inclined elevator floor to the position indicated in broken lines in Fig. l. A stationary baffle plate 29 prevents the spool from rolling off the elevator floor until it reaches the bottom of the trench. This baiile plate is preferably suspended from an adjustable rod 28 (Fig. 4) so that it is adjustable vertically for spools of different diameters.

When the elevator arrives at its lowermost position, indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1, the spool rolls ofi the inclined elevator floor and onto an inclined track comprising a pair of spaced angle members 30, 30 attached to the bottom of the trench. It will be noted that the elevator floor is flush with the track members 30 when the elevator is in its lowermost position. The spools are adapted to roll down the track mem bers, which serve to guide them onto a loading platform 32 disposed within the-pit l5 below the heating chamber II. The loading platform, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a pair of spaced horizontal angle members 33 and 34, the ends of which are suitably anchored to the walls of the pit. The angle member 33 supports the ends of, the track members 30, which may be considereda part of the loading p1atform. This platform further comprises a third angle member 35 mounted above the angle member 34 with one of its flanges extending upwardly to serve as a stop for preventing the spool from rolling off the platform.

A continuously moving endless conveyor 40 is provided for automatically lifting the spools from the loading platform and for carrying them upwardly through the heating chamber II and then downwardly through the cooling chamber l2. This conveyor, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, comprises a pair of spaced endless chains 4|, 4|, each of which travels around upper and lower sprocket wheels 42 and 43, respectively. The upper sprocket wheels are mounted in the upper end of the furnace within the connecting passage between the upper ends of the heating and cooling chambers. The lower sprocket wheels are mounted within the pit l5, below the level of the loading platform, as shown in Fig. 1. As further shown in Fig. 1, the lower sprocket wheels are mounted on a horizontal idler shaft 44, and the upper sprocket wheels are mounted on a horizontal driving shaft 45. Any suitable means (not shown) may be provided for driving the shaft 45, whereby the conveyor chains are caused to continuously travel upwardly through the heating chamber and downwardly through the cooling chamber.

A plurality of equi-distantly spaced spool carriers 50, 50 are mounted between and attached at their opposite ends to the two conveyor chains 4|. Each of the carriers comprises a pair of horizontal bars 5|, 5| which extend between the conveyor chains on opposite sides thereof and are rigidly interconnected at their ends by end plates 52, 52. After passing downwardly and around the lower sprocket wheels 43, the conveyor chains and spool carriers pass upwardly through the loading platform between the angle members 33 and 34. Each of the spool carriers, therefore, is adapted to automatically receive a spool from the loading platform if one is positioned thereon as the carrier passes therethrough.

In accordance with an important feature of the present invention, an escapement mechanism is provided whereby the spools are permitted to roll onto the loading platform only one at a time and in timed relation with the continuously moving conveyor. This mechanism comprises a pair of vertically reciprocable gates 54 and 55 disposed in spaced relationship within the discharge end of the loading trench i6, as best shown in Fig. 2. These gates are guided in their vertical movement and are restrained against lateral movement by vertical angle bars 51, 51 attached to the side walls of the trench. Either of these gates, when in its lowermost or closed position, serves as an abutment or stop for preventing the spools from rolling past it and onto the loading platform. The gates are spaced apart just sufficiently to accommodate one spool therebetween and they are operated alternately so that when either one of the gates is in its elevated or open position, the other gate is in its lowermost or closed position. Thus, only one spool at a time is permitted to roll onto the loading platform, although the trench may constantly contain a plurality of spools arranged in a single row along the inclined track members 30, ready to roll onto the platform.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the escapement gates 54 and 55 are operated by hydraulic .cylinders 59 and 60, respectively.

These cylinders are controlled by suitable valves which are operated at the proper time and in the proper sequence by the spool carriers 50 on the continuously moving conveyor 40. A control valve 5| for the gate operating cylinder 59 is shown somewhat conventionally in Fig. 2. Its operating arm 62 is operatively connected by a link 63 to one end of a lever 64 which is pivoted intermediate its ends on a horizontal stud 65 anchored in the rear wall of the trench. The opposite end of the lever 64 is connected by a link 66 to one end of an operating lever 68, which is pivoted intermediate its ends on a horizontal stud 69 anchored in the rear wall of the loading pit IS. The opposite end of lever 68 is normally disposed substantially in a horizontal position above the loading platform and adjacent the rear conveyor chain, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

As best shown in Fig. 3, each of the spool carriers is provided with a rearwardly extending projection or lug 10 and a forwardly projecting lug 1|. The lug 10 is adapted to engage the under side of the free end of valve operating lever 68 as the associated carrier moves upwardly, after passing through the loading platform, thus turning the lever in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2) about its pivot 59. This movement of the lever, through the interconnecting linkage above described, operates the valve 6| to connect the lower end of cylinder 59 with a water pressure line 12, and the upper end of the cylinder to a water return line 1-3. The piston in the cylinder is thus moved upwardly, thereby elevating or opening the gate 54 to which the piston rod is connected, as illustrated. The spools in the trench are now free to roll down the inclined track members until the first spool encounters the second gate 55, which is now in its lowermost or closed position. Meanwhile, as the conveyor continues its upward movement, the carrier lug 10 slides past the valve operating lever 68, whereupon the lever is returned to its original position by a counterweight 14, thus operating the valve to connect the lower end of cylinder 59 with the return line, causing the gate to drop to its lowermost or closed position. The first spool is now positioned between the two gates, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 2.

After the first gate 54 has been closed, the second gate 55 is opened, thus permitting the spool that is positioned between the two gates to roll onto the loading platform into position to be picked up by the next carrier, while the first gate holds the remaining spools in the trench. The gate 55, as mentioned above, is operated bythe hydraulic cylinder 50. This cylinder is controlled by a valve 14 (Fig. 5) which is operated by the forwardly projecting lugs 1| (Fig. 3) of the spool carriers through a chain of levers and links substantially identical to that described above in connection with the valve 6|. Thus, after the rearwardly projecting lug 10 of any one of the spool carriers slides past the valve operating lever 68, the forwardly projecting lug H of the same carrier engages the free end of a lever 16, which is shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. This lever is pivoted intermediate its ends on a stud 11 anchored in the front wall of the loading pit, and its opposite end is operatively connected to the valve 14 in substantially the same manner as lever 68 is connected to valve 6|. The carrier lug 1| turns lever 16 in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 2) about its pivot 11,

thus operating valve 14 (Fig. 5) to connect the lower end of cylinder to the water pressure line, and the upper end of the cylinder to the return line. The piston in this cylinder is thus movecl upwardly, thereby elevating or opening the gate 55, which permits the spool to roll onto the loading platform, as already described. As soon as lug ll slides past lever 16, a counterweight 18 returns the lever to its original position, thereby operating the valve to connect the lower end of the cylinder to the return line, whereby the gate drops to its lowermost or closed position. The next carrier picks up the spool from the loading platform and while carrying it upwardly, the lugs 10 and H of this carrier operate the levers 68 and 16, respectively, in succession, whereby the operating cycle just described is repeated. Thus the loading of the spools onto the continuously moving conveyor carriers is under the control of the moving carriers and is completely automatic, it being necessary only to lower the spools into the loading trench by means of the manually controlled elevator 2i. i

It is important, of course, that the spool carriers 50 and the valve operating levers 68 and 16 be so spaced and arranged that the levers are operated alternately and only one at a time, thus insuring that at all times one or the other of the two gates is in its lowermost or closed position. The carriers are restrained against lateral movement while passing through the loading zone by a pair of guide channels l9, 19, which serve as restraining guides for the conveyor chains.

In order to permit running the conveyor without loading any spools thereon, manually operated valves 80, 80 (Fig. 2) are provided in the water lines between the gate operating cylinders and the conveyor operated valves 6i and 14. By

closing the valves 80, the gate operating cylinders are prevented from opening the gates when the valves 6i and 14 are operated by the conveyor carriers. The free end portions of valve operating levers 68 and 16 may be hinged to the remaining portions thereof, as indicated at 8|, so that the end portions can be swung downwardly without operating the valves GI and I4. This permits running the conveyor backwardly, if desired, for the purpose of making repairs or otherwise. The conveyor carriers, while moving downwardly, will swing the hinged ends of the levers downwardly without opening the escapement gates which, by their own weight, are normally positioned in their lowermost or closed positions. the hinged ends of the levers to the positions shown in the drawings and normally hold them in those positions.

For continuous operation of the apparatus, the loading trench i6 is constantly maintained filled or substantially filled with spools which are lowered into the trench by means of the elevator 2|. A tell-tale lamp 85 (Fig. 4) is provided for sigmailing the elevator operator when the trench is partially empty. The lamp is controlled by a switch 86, which is operated by a vertically reciprocable rod 81. The rod is arranged to be moved upwardly by a bar 88, which is attached at one end to a rock shaft 89, rotatably journalled near the entrance end of the trench. Also attached at one end to the rock shaft is a tell-tale member 90. When the trench is full of spools, the free end of the tell-tale member rests on one of the spools, as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 1, causing bar 88 to assume the position indicated by the broken lines, which permits rod 81 The counterweights i4 and l8 return ber 80 swings downwardly to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, causing bar 88 to push rod 81 upwardly, which operates the switch to light the tell-tale lamp. .The trench, of course, is adapted to hold a suflicient number of spools so that the automatic loading 01' the spools upon the continuously moving conveyor may continue uninterruptedly while additional spools are lowered into the trench. While passing through the trench, the spools are completely submerged in the water so that all of the air is forced out from between the convolutions of wire.

The spools are carried upwardly through the heating chamber by the conveyor carriers, being supported upon and between the spaced bars 5| thereof. As each carrier passes around the upper sprocket wheels 42, the spool is automatically transferred therefrom to the preceding carrier by rolling over a drum 94 interposed between the upper sprocket wheels. An inverted U-shaped guard 55 is provided for preventing accidental displacement of the spools as they are carried around the upper sprocket wheels. I

The heating chamber may be heated to and maintained at the required temperature by any suitable means (none shown), and any suitable cooling means, preferably a series of water sprays, may be provided within the cooling chamber for efliciently cooling the spooled wire during its passage therethrough. By the time the spools arrive near the lower end of the cooling chamber,

to hold lamp switch 86 open under the force of a spring 9i. Thus, as long as the trench is full of spools, the tell-tale lamp is not lighted. When the trench is partially empty, the tell-tale memthe wire has been cooled to a temperature sufilciently low to prevent deleterious oxidation; Near the lower end of the cooling chamber, a discharge opening 91 is provided in the outer wall thereof, through which the spools are discharged from the chamber, preferably automatically, by a discharging mechanism of the type disclosed in a co-pending application of Harry Blount and Karl C. Edwards, Serial No, 271,474, filed May 3, 1939.

A portion of a discharging mechanism of the type referred to is illustrated somewhat conventionally in Fig. 1. It comprises, essentially, a. housing 98 adjoining the outer wall of the cooling chamber and having a cylindrical discharge chamber 99 provided with a spool entrance opening I00, which registers with the discharge opening 9'! of the cooling chamber. The discharge chamber 99 is also provided with a spool discharge opening Ifll, which is approximately dia metrically opposite the spool entrance opening. Within the discharge chamber, there is rotatably mounted a discharge drum M2, which has a peripheral opening I03 adapted to register with either the spool entrance opening i 00 or the spool discharge opening Hit of the discharge chamber.

Mounted withinthe lower end of the cooling chamber [2, opposite the discharge opening 91, is a fixed abutment, preferably in the form of a rigid horizontal bar or pipe I05, which is positioned in the path of the downwardly moving spools. As each of the spool carriers moves downwardly, the spool supported thereon strikes this bar, whereby the spool is rolled out of the carrier and onto an inclined shelf I08, which guides the spool into the discharge drum I02. The drum is, of course, now positioned so that its opening I03 registers with the discharge opening 91 of the cooling chamber. Vertical guide members I08, I08 are provided in the lower por tion of the cooling chamber for guiding the spool conveyor chains 4|, whereby lateral displacement of the spool carriers is prevented while the spools are discharged therefrom.

Each spool comes to rest within the discharge drum in the position indicated by the broken 1 in a counter-clockwise direction until it makes one complete revolution, thus returning to its original position to receive the next spool. It will be obvious that the drum should be constructed and arranged within the discharge chamber so that at all times it serves as an air excluding closure member for either the spool discharge opening 91 of the furnace or the spool discharge opening l0! of the discharge chamber. .It is believed that the operation of the apparatus will be clearly understood from the foregoing description. The loading of the spools onto the spool carriers 50 of the continuously moving conveyor 40 is under the control of the spool carriers and is completely automatic as long as there are spools in the loading trench. It should be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments thereof herein illustrated and described, but is capable of other applications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for heat treating articles, a vertical heating chamber having an entrance opening at the bottom end thereof, a trench adjoining said opening for containing a supply of articles to be treated, said trench containing a liquid adapted to completely submerge the articles therein and provide an air seal for the entrance opening of said heating chamber, and means for indicating whether said trench is filled with articles.

and said pit containing a liquid'for expelling air from the spools of wire before they are charged into said heating chamber and for excluding outside air from said chamber, a spool loading platform submerged within the liquid within said charging pit, a conveyor having a series of spool carriers for receiving spools of wire from said platform and for carrying them upwardly into said chamber through said charging opening, and means actuated by said spool carriers for effecting the transfer of spools from said trench to said loading platform.

5. In an apparatus for annealing spooled wire, a vertical heating chamber having a charging opening in the bottom thereof, a charging pit below said opening, a trench adjoining said pit for containing a supply 01' spools, said trench and said pit containing a liquid within which the spools of wire are maintained completely submerged until they enter the heating chamber, a spool loading platform submerged within the liquid within said charging pit, a conveyor for receiving spools of wire from said platform and for carrying them upwardly into said heating chamber through said charging opening, the said trench having declined tracks along which the 2. In an apparatus for heat treating articles, v

a vertical heating chamber having an entrance opening at the bottom end thereof, a trench adjoining said opening for containing a. supply of articles to be treated, said trench containing a liquid for sealing said opening against ingress of air and for expelling air from the articles before they are charged into the chamber, and means operated by an article within the trench for indicating whether the trench is filled with articles.

3. In an apparatus for annealing spooled wire, a verticalheating chamber having a charging opening in the bottom thereof, a charging pit below said opening, said pit containing a liquid for excluding outside air from said chamber, a spool loading platform submerged within the liquid within said charging pit, a conveyor for receiving spools of wire from said platform and for carrying them upwardly into said chamber through said charging opening, and means under the control of said conveyor for delivering spools of wire to said platform.

4. In an apparatus for annealing spooled wire,

for containing a supply of spools, said trench spools of wire are adapted to roll onto said platform, and an escapement mechanism controlled by said conveyor for controlling the delivery of spools to said loading platform.

6. In an apparatus for heat treating articles. a vertical heating chamber having a charging opening in the bottom thereof, a charging pit below said opening, said pit containing a liquid for sealing the charging opening of the chamber against ingress of air, a loading platform submerged withln said liquid, a conveyor for receiving articles from the loading platform and for carrying them upwardly into the heating chamber through said charging opening, and means under the control of; the conveyor for delivering articles to the loading platform.

'7. In an apparatus for annealing spooled wire, a vertical heating chamber having a charging opening in the bottom thereof, a charging pit below said opening, a trench adjoining said pit for containing a supply of spools of wire to be annealed said trench and said pit containing a liquid within which the spools of wire are maintained completely submerged until they enter the heating chamber, a spool loading platform mounted in said charging'pit below said charging opening, a conveyor for receiving spools of wire from said platform and for carrying them upwardly into said heating chamber through said charging opening, the said trench having declined tracks along which the spools of wire are adapted to roll onto said platform, a pair of gates normally disposed in the path of the spools to interrupt their movement along said tracks, said gates being spaced apart to accommodate only one spool therebetween; means actuated by the conveyor for opening said gates seriatim to release the spools one at a time for delivery to said platform, and manually operated means for rendering the gate opening means ineffective.

KARL C. EDWARDS. 

